Mixer drum with automatic latching and knee-lift unlatching assembly

ABSTRACT

A gravity dumping device which may be oscillated from an upright position to a dumping position after the material therein has been treated. A knee-operated latch means which allows a worker to use both hands on a handle to dump the device while using a knee to release the latch means; and, when the material is dumped and the device is rotated back to an upright position, a bevelled portion of the knee-actuated part is automatically pivoted out of position and the device is again latched in its upright position. A further stop means on the device prevents oscillation in an undesired direction. The knee-lift portion may be provided with padding for the safety of the knee of the operator of the device.

United States Patent Tertinek et al.

[ 1 Sept. 16, 1975 [75] Inventors: Christian T. Tertinek, Canandaigua,

N .Y.; Guthrie B. Stone, Brunswick, Ga.

[73] Assignee: Stone Construction Equipment, Inc.,

Honcoyc, N.Y.

1221 Filed: Mar. 26, i974 [21] Appl. No.: 455,039

[52] US. Cl. 222/166 [51 Int. Cl. B65G 67/30 [58] Field of Search 259/145, 171; 222/162,

l56| References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,630,789 5/1927 Essick 259/171 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 57 ABSTRACT A gravity dumping device which may be oscillated from an upright position to a dumping position after the material therein has been treated. A kneeoperated latch means which allows a worker to use both hands on a handle to dump the device while using a knee to release the latch means; and, when the material is dumped and the device is rotated back to an upright position, a bevelled portion of the kneeactuated part is automatically pivoted out of position and the device is again latched in its upright position. A further stop means on the device prevents oscillation in an undesired direction. The kneelift portion may be provided with padding for the safety of the knee of the operator of the device.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MIXER DRUM WITH AUTOMATIC LATCHING AND KNEE-LIFT UNLATCHING ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART Plaster and mortar mixers which include a pivotal drum in which a mixing operation is performed have been in existence fora number of years as exemplified by [1.5. Pat. No. 3,334,871, issued Aug. 8, 1967, with a handle being mounted on the drum to pivot it between an upright position and a tilted or dumping position. Hand-operated gravity dumping devices having various lock and stop means are also known in the prior art, as evidenced by the patent to Hochmuth (US. Pat. No. 3,295,728, issued Jan. 3, 1967) (Class 222, subclass 166), wherein both hands grasp handle-3, finger pressure releases latch 4 for dischargeof the receptacle contents via spout I9; and in Allison (US. Pat. No. 1,492,949, issued May 6, 1924) wherein l and 12 each engage 4 to stop movement of the container in oppositc directions. Having the pivotal connections for the receptacle above the center of gravity of the vessel and its contents, is taught by March (US. Pat. No. 747,559, issued Dec. 22, 1903 Handle and cummingtype latch means are disclosed in Lichtenberg et al (us. Pat. No. 2,668,695, issued Feb/9, 1954 and also at I7, 20 and 21 in Essick (U.S.- Pat. No. 1,630,789, issued May 31, 1927). I

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the objects and advantages of our invention are the following: 4 i

1. To provide an oscillating gravity dumping device with novel latch means. I

2. To provide stops for limiting the extent of oscillation of the device. g

3. To provide a knee-lift latch-release means so that an operator can usei both-hands to dump the receptacle and unlatch the receptacle with his knee, with automatic latching when the receptacle returns to the upright position.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS the two stop means that limit the oscillation of the rcceptaclc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The over-all dumping device is designated by reference numeral 10 in FIG. I; and the receptacle portion or drum is denoted as 12 in each of the three views. Pivot means 14-14 are positioned with respect to the receptacle 12, above the center of gravity of the vessel and its contents to provide for oscillation of the same about these pivots. The pivots are mounted on top of a pair of U-shaped standards I6I6 supported by the framework 18-18. The drum 12 includes a rotary paddle shaft for mixing the components of plaster, mortar, or the like, as set forth in US. Pat. No. 3,334,871 which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. Dumping of the drum is accomplished manually in a direction opposite to the direction of .rotation of the mixing blade during a mixing operation, thus requiring the operator to exert sufficient force on the handle on the drum to overcome the torque exerted on the drum by the material being mixed during the mixing operation.

The padded (22) knee-lift lever 20 is shown as a generally L-shapcd member having the end opposite the padding beveled at 23 and an aperture 24 to receive an elongated sleeve 25 weldedthereto and which receives pivot bolt'26 which passes through apertures 28-28 in the legs 30-30 of the U-shaped standards 16-16.

A V-shaped latch plate 32 with one leg of the V approximately vertical with respect to the lever 20 when 12 is in upright position, and with the bottom 34 of the V being approximately on a horizontal line with the pivot bolt 26 when the receptacle is in its upright position, is affixed to the end wall 36 of container 12. On the opposite end wall 38, again approximately on a horizontal line with pivot bolt 26, a stop plate 40 is welded or otherwise attached to end wall 38; and a stop bar 42 is similarly welded, or otherwise secured, to one of the legs 30 of the U-shaped standard 16 at the right-hand end of framework 18 (as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3). Handle 44 is riveted, welded, or otherwise fastened to end wall 36 at or near the uppermmost portion of receptacle 12 when it is in its upright position.

In operation, when it is desired to dump the contents of receptacle 12, the operator uses both hands to grasp the handle 44 and start turning the receptacle 12 in a counter-clockwise direction as he faces 12 (FIG. I), and at the same time brings up one knee to press upwardly on the knee lever 20, thus pivoting lever 20 about pivot bolt 26 and allowing the bevelled portion 23 to clear the bottom 34 of V-shaped latch plate 32, for the dumping of the contents when the receptacle 12 is oscillated about pivots 14-14 in a counterclockwise direction. Once the bevel portion 23 of 20 has cleared 32-34, the operator may lower the knee, and when the receptacle 12 is returned to its upright position, the V- 'shaped latch plate 32 will bear against the bevel portion 23 of pivot lever 20 and move it out-of-the-way as the receptacle 12 is returned to its upright position. To preclude the receptacle from oscillating beyond its upright position, when it is returned to upright, and to provide for it being automatically latched by the interaction of 20 and 32-34, as noted above, the interaction of 40 and 42 prevents any further oscillation in a clockwise direction; and thus assists in maintaining and retaining the receptacle 12 in its upright position, until such time as the operator again wishes to dump the receptacle, whereupon he repeats the steps noted above.

- ,The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a gravity dumping device. the combination of an elongated receptacle having an aperture or opening in its uppermost portion. and end walls at the opposite extremities of its longitudinal extent, supporting means including standards adjacent said end walls. pivotal connections between the standards and their respective end walls for pivotally supporting said elongated receptacle for oscillation about said pivotal connections. handle means attached to one end wall of said receptacle and extending beyond the periphery of said receptacle. a generally V-shaped latch plate secured to said one end wall approximately half way between the pivotal connection of said one end wall to its adjacent standard and the periphery of said receptacle. a pivot bolt passing through said standard adjacent said end wall, and adjacent the lower portion or point of said V- shaped latch plate, a knee-operated member pivoted about said pivot bolt and having a bent, knee-engaging portion at its extremity opposite to said one end wall, and a bevelled portion at its other extremity adjacent said end wall and adjacent said V-shaped latch plate, so that when the handle is used to oscillate the receptacle about its pivotal connections, the knee-engaging portion is moved upwardly by a knee of an operator to pivot said member about said pivot bolt, so that the bottom of the V-shaped portion can clear the bevelled portion when dumping the receptacle, and when the receptacle is returned to its normal, upright position, the bottom of the V-shaped portion will ride over and past the bevelled portion and thus will preclude further dumping unless the knee-engaging portion is again moved to pivot the kneeoperated member out-of-theway of the V-shaped member.

2. The dumping device of claim 1 wherein the other end wall opposite said one end wall has a projection extending therefrom which is engageable with the standard adjacent said other end wall to prevent further oscillation of said receptacle in a direction opposite to the dumping direction of the receptacle.

3. As an article of manufacture, a gravity dumping device consisting of an elongated receptacle having an opening in its uppermost portion when the receptacle is in its upright position, generally cylindrical in configuration except for said opening, end walls closing off the opposite extremities of the longitudinal extent of said receptacle, supporting means for said elongated receptacle including generally U-shaped channel standards having the open part of the U of each standard facing the adjacent end walls of the receptacle, pivotal connections between the standards and the respectively adjacent end walls of the receptacle for pivotally supporting said elongated receptacle for oscillation about said pivotal connections, elongated handle means rigidly connected to one of said end walls and extending beyond the periphery of said elongated receptacle, a generally V-shaped latch plate rigidly secured to said one end wall approximately half way between the pivotal connection of said one end wall to its adjacent standard and toward the lowermost periphery of said receptacle, and having one leg of the V approximately vertical with respect to a knee-operated member when the receptacle is in its upright position, and a pivot bolt passing through approximately the middle of the legs of the adjacent U-shaped channel standard and horizontally adjacent the lowermost point of the V-shaped latch plate. said knee-operated member being of generally L-shape. having padding on the lower part of the L that is contacted by a knee of an operator, an aperturein the vertical part of the L for receiving said pivot bolt and at the end adjacent said one end wall having a bevelled end portion for contacting the V-shaped latch plate. whereby when the handle means is used to oscillate the receptacle about its pivotal connections. the handle means is grasped by both hands of an operator, and a knee of an operator is lifted under the padding of the L-shaped member to pivot said L-shaped member about the pivot bolt. thus clearing the Vshaped latch plate for oscillation of the receptacle, a stopping projection secured to the other end wall, engageable with a stop means secured on the standard adjacent said other end wall to limit the oscillation of the receptacle, in a direction reverse to that of the dumping direction, and after the receptacle has been dumped of its contents and as the receptacle 0scillates back to its upright position, the lowermost portion of the V-shaped latch plate will bear against the bevelled end of the L-shaped member, temporarily pivoting said L-shaped member about said pivot bolt until the lowermost tip of the V-shaped latch plate clears the L-shaped member, at which point the receptacle is latched in its upright position.

4. In a mortar mixer of the type having a drum in which a mixing operation occurs, said drum being pivotably supported from a frame for movement between an upright position and a dumping position. a handle on said drum for manually pivoting said drum between the upright and dumping positions. that improvement comprising latch mcans releasably retaining said drum in upright position, said latch means including a latch plate carried by said drum. and a knee-operated latch member supported from the frame and engaging the latch plate to retain the drum in upright position and releasable from the latch plate for movement of the drum to dumping position thereby enabling an operator to manually pivot the drum by using both hands on the handle to facilitate exertion of sufficient force on the drum to overcome the torque exerted on the drum by the mixing operation tending to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position, and stop means on said drum for engagement with a portion of the framework to prevent pivotal movement of the drum beyond an upright position in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position, said latch plate including an inclined ramp engaged by the latch member when the drum returns to upright position to guide the latch member into engagement with the latch plate.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the handle is on an end of the drum, said latch means being oriented at the same end of the drum, said latch member being pivotally supported for movement about an axis transverse to the pivot axis of the drum and including an enlarged surface area located at a convenient height for engagement by a knee of an operator facing the end of the drum and grasping the handle with both hands.

6. In a mortar mixer of the type having a drum in which a mixing operation occurs. said drum being pivotably supported from a frame for movement between an upright position and a dumping position with the axis of pivotal movement of the drum being substantially horizontal, a handle on said drum and extending above said axis for manually pivoting said drum between the upright and dumping positions, that improvement comprising latch means releasably retaining said drum in upright position, said latch means including a latch plate carried by said drum, and a latch member supported from the frame and engaging the latch plate to retain the drum in upright position and releasable from the latch plate for movement of the drum to dumping position thereby enabling an operator to manually pivot the drum by using both hands on the handle to facilitate exertion of sufficient torque force on the drum to overcome the torque force exerted on the drum by the mixing operation tending to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position and means pivotally supporting said latch member from the frame for movement about an axis transverse to the pivot axis of the drum and including a lateral surface area at its outer end located at a convenient height for engagement by a knee of an operator facing the drum and grasping the handle with both hands.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said latch plate includes a generally vertical portion projecting from the drum below the pivot axis thereof, and an inclined ramp portion associated with the vertical portion and converging downwardly to the lower end of the vertical portion for engaging the latch member and pivoting it downwardly so that it will pass under the vertical portion when the drum is returned to upright position, the portion of the latch member outwardly of its pivot axis being heavier than the portion of the latch member inwardly of its pivot axis whereby the inner end of the latch member will automatically ride down the inclined portion and under the lower end of the ver tical portion and then automatically swing upwardly behind the vertical portion for latching the drum to prevent it from being pivoted to the dumping position.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein stop means interconnects said drum and frame to prevent pivotal movement of the drum about its axis beyond its upright position when the drum is returned from the dumping position to the upright position, said stop means preventing movement of the drum beyond its upright position during the mixing operation when torque is exerted thereon which tends to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to the direction the drum pivots when moving from the upright to the dumping position whereby said latch means and stop means preclude pivotal movement of the drum in either direction and retain the drum in upright position with the latch means being knee-released for manually pivoting the drum from the upright position to the dumping position. 

1. In a gravity dumping device, the combination of an elongated receptacle havIng an aperture or opening in its uppermost portion, and end walls at the opposite extremities of its longitudinal extent, supporting means including standards adjacent said end walls, pivotal connections between the standards and their respective end walls for pivotally supporting said elongated receptacle for oscillation about said pivotal connections, handle means attached to one end wall of said receptacle and extending beyond the periphery of said receptacle, a generally V-shaped latch plate secured to said one end wall approximately half way between the pivotal connection of said one end wall to its adjacent standard and the periphery of said receptacle, a pivot bolt passing through said standard adjacent said end wall, and adjacent the lower portion or point of said Vshaped latch plate, a knee-operated member pivoted about said pivot bolt and having a bent, knee-engaging portion at its extremity opposite to said one end wall, and a bevelled portion at its other extremity adjacent said end wall and adjacent said V-shaped latch plate, so that when the handle is used to oscillate the receptacle about its pivotal connections, the kneeengaging portion is moved upwardly by a knee of an operator to pivot said member about said pivot bolt, so that the bottom of the V-shaped portion can clear the bevelled portion when dumping the receptacle, and when the receptacle is returned to its normal, upright position, the bottom of the V-shaped portion will ride over and past the bevelled portion and thus will preclude further dumping unless the knee-engaging portion is again moved to pivot the knee-operated member out-of-the-way of the V-shaped member.
 2. The dumping device of claim 1 wherein the other end wall opposite said one end wall has a projection extending therefrom which is engageable with the standard adjacent said other end wall to prevent further oscillation of said receptacle in a direction opposite to the dumping direction of the receptacle.
 3. As an article of manufacture, a gravity dumping device consisting of an elongated receptacle having an opening in its uppermost portion when the receptacle is in its upright position, generally cylindrical in configuration except for said opening, end walls closing off the opposite extremities of the longitudinal extent of said receptacle, supporting means for said elongated receptacle including generally U-shaped channel standards having the open part of the U of each standard facing the adjacent end walls of the receptacle, pivotal connections between the standards and the respectively adjacent end walls of the receptacle for pivotally supporting said elongated receptacle for oscillation about said pivotal connections, elongated handle means rigidly connected to one of said end walls and extending beyond the periphery of said elongated receptacle, a generally V-shaped latch plate rigidly secured to said one end wall approximately half way between the pivotal connection of said one end wall to its adjacent standard and toward the lowermost periphery of said receptacle, and having one leg of the V approximately vertical with respect to a knee-operated member when the receptacle is in its upright position, and a pivot bolt passing through approximately the middle of the legs of the adjacent U-shaped channel standard and horizontally adjacent the lowermost point of the V-shaped latch plate, said knee-operated member being of generally L-shape, having padding on the lower part of the L that is contacted by a knee of an operator, an aperture in the vertical part of the L for receiving said pivot bolt and at the end adjacent said one end wall having a bevelled end portion for contacting the V-shaped latch plate, whereby when the handle means is used to oscillate the receptacle about its pivotal connections, the handle means is grasped by both hands of an operator, and a knee of an operator is lifted under the padding of the L-shaped member to pivot said L-shaped member about the pivot bolt, thus clearIng the V-shaped latch plate for oscillation of the receptacle, a stopping projection secured to the other end wall, engageable with a stop means secured on the standard adjacent said other end wall to limit the oscillation of the receptacle, in a direction reverse to that of the dumping direction, and after the receptacle has been dumped of its contents and as the receptacle oscillates back to its upright position, the lowermost portion of the V-shaped latch plate will bear against the bevelled end of the L-shaped member, temporarily pivoting said L-shaped member about said pivot bolt until the lowermost tip of the V-shaped latch plate clears the L-shaped member, at which point the receptacle is latched in its upright position.
 4. In a mortar mixer of the type having a drum in which a mixing operation occurs, said drum being pivotably supported from a frame for movement between an upright position and a dumping position, a handle on said drum for manually pivoting said drum between the upright and dumping positions, that improvement comprising latch means releasably retaining said drum in upright position, said latch means including a latch plate carried by said drum, and a knee-operated latch member supported from the frame and engaging the latch plate to retain the drum in upright position and releasable from the latch plate for movement of the drum to dumping position thereby enabling an operator to manually pivot the drum by using both hands on the handle to facilitate exertion of sufficient force on the drum to overcome the torque exerted on the drum by the mixing operation tending to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position, and stop means on said drum for engagement with a portion of the framework to prevent pivotal movement of the drum beyond an upright position in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position, said latch plate including an inclined ramp engaged by the latch member when the drum returns to upright position to guide the latch member into engagement with the latch plate.
 5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the handle is on an end of the drum, said latch means being oriented at the same end of the drum, said latch member being pivotally supported for movement about an axis transverse to the pivot axis of the drum and including an enlarged surface area located at a convenient height for engagement by a knee of an operator facing the end of the drum and grasping the handle with both hands.
 6. In a mortar mixer of the type having a drum in which a mixing operation occurs, said drum being pivotably supported from a frame for movement between an upright position and a dumping position with the axis of pivotal movement of the drum being substantially horizontal, a handle on said drum and extending above said axis for manually pivoting said drum between the upright and dumping positions, that improvement comprising latch means releasably retaining said drum in upright position, said latch means including a latch plate carried by said drum, and a latch member supported from the frame and engaging the latch plate to retain the drum in upright position and releasable from the latch plate for movement of the drum to dumping position thereby enabling an operator to manually pivot the drum by using both hands on the handle to facilitate exertion of sufficient torque force on the drum to overcome the torque force exerted on the drum by the mixing operation tending to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to that necessary to pivot the drum to dumping position, and means pivotally supporting said latch member from the frame for movement about an axis transverse to the pivot axis of the drum and including a lateral surface area at its outer end located at a convenient height for engagement by a knee of an operator facing the drum and grasping the handle with both hands.
 7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said latch plate includes a generaLly vertical portion projecting from the drum below the pivot axis thereof, and an inclined ramp portion associated with the vertical portion and converging downwardly to the lower end of the vertical portion for engaging the latch member and pivoting it downwardly so that it will pass under the vertical portion when the drum is returned to upright position, the portion of the latch member outwardly of its pivot axis being heavier than the portion of the latch member inwardly of its pivot axis whereby the inner end of the latch member will automatically ride down the inclined portion and under the lower end of the vertical portion and then automatically swing upwardly behind the vertical portion for latching the drum to prevent it from being pivoted to the dumping position.
 8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein stop means interconnects said drum and frame to prevent pivotal movement of the drum about its axis beyond its upright position when the drum is returned from the dumping position to the upright position, said stop means preventing movement of the drum beyond its upright position during the mixing operation when torque is exerted thereon which tends to pivot the drum in a direction opposite to the direction the drum pivots when moving from the upright to the dumping position whereby said latch means and stop means preclude pivotal movement of the drum in either direction and retain the drum in upright position with the latch means being knee-released for manually pivoting the drum from the upright position to the dumping position. 